NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Phoenix real estate recorded a 55.2 percent increase in house prices over the past 12 months, according to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors.

NAR's third-quarter median existing single-family home price survey, covering changes in 147 metropolitan statistical areas, revealed that the average home nationwide appreciated by 14.7 percent since last year. Homes in only six metro areas lost value. See table tracking all 147 markets.

Trailing just behind Phoenix were two Florida cities: Orlando, where prices grew 44.8 percent, and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area, where they rose 42.5 percent.

Only in six areas did homes lose value led by Elmira New York, where they fell 5.4 percent. Topeka was down 1.3 percent and Youngstown Ohio inched down 1.0 percent.

Some formerly white-hot markets slowed a bit. San Diego recorded a 6.3 percent gain after growing nearly 30 percent between 2003 and 2004. Las Vegas, which soared 48.7 percent during that same period, grew only 10.5 percent over the latest 12 months.

Regionally, the South recorded the slimmest gain, at 7.7 percent, while the West had the highest - 18.8 percent. The Midwest (13.1 percent) trailed the Northeast (13.2 percent) slightly for second place.Results are ranked by growth. Click column headings to re-sort